Mrs. Frozen Yogurt, DallasAge and Occupation: 28, Special Projects CoordinatorFiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Equity TraderEngagement Date: March 19, 2009Wedding Date: April 2010Venue: Marie Gabrielle, DallasAbout Me: I was born and raised in Texas, and have lived in several of the cities across the state, but I currently reside in Austin. I went to college in Boston and have a special place in my heart for the Northeast. I love reading, shopping, wine, reuniting with college friends that are scattered across the country, reality TV, trying out new recipes, and attempting all the DIY projects that come along with wedding planning. I'm a "bleeding heart, save the world type" and thankfully my job allows me to work on legislation and policy to help out those in need. I met Mr. Frozen Yogurt in a bar, though he doesn't even drink! And now we are planning a modern yet vintage wedding in Dallas while dealing with the trials and tribulations of first time homeownership.
In the last post of this series we are going to tackle dark circles. That’s right, I saved the best for last. Now, on a normal day I don’t have really bad dark circles, so it was hard for me to test this out. I kept waiting for the right time to do it, and then that time came like it was fate. It was last week and I was drowning in work, sleep deprived, and trying to keep up with my JM work outs. You can guess which of those three suffered the most. Sorry JM!
Mrs. Hot Wings, Chicago/San DiegoAge and Occupation: 28, ProfessorFiance's Age and Occupation: 32, InstructorEngagement Date: December 20, 2008Wedding Date: August 2010Venue: Ocean View Villas/Jasmine Seafood RestaurantAbout Me: I am a psychology grad student living in Chicago and planning my wedding to a fellow psych grad student. I am a Sunny So-Cal bred gal who trudged across the country to follow her love of psychology and ended up finding a partner in the process. I am overly passionate about anything I involve myself with. I am an activist, a foodie, a reality TV watching junkie, an over-analyzer, a photography obsesser, and am utterly cheesy to the core. This is a story of what happens when a boy and a girl meet, fall in love over academic dorkiness, and a shared love for life. We (mostly I) are planning our semi-destination wedding in my hometown of San Diego. We are excited to bring our families and friends together from across our lifespans to celebrate our future in a grand 400+ person culturally blended affair!
Do you struggle with deciding when to splurge and when not to?
I do! I’m the type of person who walks through a store and doesn’t buy a thing because I think I can make everything.
So what is this all about, you ask? It’s about our wedding website. I pride myself on being pretty computer savvy. So I put together a pretty intense wedding website using Blogger, which is free. We paid $9.99 for our web domain, and that’s it.
Mrs. Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
Now that you have seen my lacy dress, it’s time to unveil the jewelry that shall adorn my body in May! Mr. Pencils has bought me quite a few pieces of pearl jewelry from his adventures in China, where the pearl market allows for quality pearls at lower prices. I had always planned on wearing one of these necklaces for our wedding… until my sweetheart-strapless-necklined dress proved underwhelming with the single strand of pearls. (I am trying so hard to avoid the term “pearl necklace” in this post as it makes me giggle every.single.time. Yes, I’m twelve.)
I still wanted to don pearls on my wedding day so I began the search for the perfect pearl adornments. Of course, I envisioned a glorious hair flower (which has a fancy name like fascinator that I can’t really pull off saying) with pearl accents, like these from some awesome Etsy sellers:
Mrs. Swan, New York CityAge and Occupation: 31, Legislative RepresentativeFiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Finance GuyEngagement Date: August 9, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Battery GardensAbout Me: I am an un-crafty but resourceful, Caribbean-born but New York-raised woman who's been known to analyze "Dancing with the Stars" and “So You Think You Can Dance”, buy stinky cheese, and use way too many parentheses. I keep lists for fun, am constantly daydreaming of my next international travel adventure (four continents down, three to go), debating sports (let’s Got Mets/Giants!) and dancing around my apartment to stay sane. I am excited to share our wedding planning journey as I hope to plan a streamlined, personal, and fun wedding with the greatest life partner I could ever imagine, Mr. Swan.
Mrs. Trail Mix, New YorkAge and Occupation: 26, PE TeacherFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, MBA StudentEngagement Date: March 2009Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Tannery Pond at the Darrow SchoolAbout Me: I'm a country girl who somehow found herself living in the Big Apple and loving every minute of it. I'm planning a rustic, country-chic wedding in my hometown in upstate New York and it's going to be a Party with a capital P. White wine, flea markets and running keep me happy and my friends, family and fiance are my world. I'm a little bit crafty, a little bit crazy but mostly just crazy in love.
Mrs. Ribbons, Washington D.C./Bloomington, INAge and Occupation: 23, Research Associate for an international development firmFiance's Age and Occupation: 25, Proposal Coordinator for contractor
Engagement Date: May 2, 2008Wedding Date: June 2010Venue: Indiana Memorial UnionAbout Me: I'm an Indiana transplant living in DC with my fiance and our pretty kitty. I enjoy the color pink, I'm obsessed with the Dior New Look and tulle, and I heart my level 80 paladin. I'm a sucker for bad TV, literary theory, and cakes of all persuasion. I also happen to be marrying the cutest closet nerd around! It's all about Bloomington for us because it's where we met -- on the college paper. If there's a theme for our small summertime wedding, it's Dior meets Dorothy Draper on a lark in Bloomington; think poofy, plus graphic prints, bold colors, and a whole lot of prettiness.
I’m having two bridesmaids for my wedding. One is my childhood best friend, we’ll call her M, and the other is a gal also from my hometown and a roommate in college, T. M lives in Indy. T lives in London.
So I have two bridesmaids, who live on different continents and have different fashion sensibilities. Read more…
Mrs. Sewing, San Mateo, CA/Honolulu, HIAge and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Electrical EngineerEngagement Date: June 27, 2009Wedding Date: July 2010Venue: Anela Garden Chapel & Japanese Cultural Center, HonoluluAbout Me: I'm an easily entertained, compulsive idea-scheming machine who loves good art, good food, and a good engineering challenge. I'm planning a half-destination wedding on the beautiful island of Oahu - imagine a plethora of movies, art and games; savory Hawaiian food; blended Chinese and Japanese cultural details; lush, fragrant tropical flowers and all the air conditioning a NorCal native could want! And once I marry the love of my life, we'll come back to the 'mainland' to party it up all over again in my hometown of Salinas, the salad-bowl capital of the world!
Before I post about my secret new toy, I think we should spend a moment to discuss a detail so minute that probably no one but us obsessive planners would care about: paper.
After seeing all the luscious, rich papery goodness PaperSource had to offer, I decided to get some testing-paper of my own. Mr. Sewing dutifully steered me away from luxe paper stores and towards the local Michaels and Office Depot.
Browsing the scrapbook paper selections can be drool-inducing, but all-in-all too expensive to use for mass productions. I left the craft store with four sheets of shiny pearl-white card stock, four for a dollar.
Mrs. Lamb, NorfolkAge and Occupation: 25, Homeland Security ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 27, Graduate StudentEngagement Date: January 2009Wedding Date: January 2010Venue: Trinity Presbyterian Church/Harrison Opera HouseAbout Me: I’m a Homeland Security Consultant with a tendency towards pulling office pranks, taking lunch breaks, and drinking Wawa shakes. I’m also an English major with a serious obsession with alliteration and rhymes. While I’m not keeping America safe, I’m training for half marathons and the Escape from Alcatraz swim. Or moving for the third time this year. Or baking. Or wedding crafting. Or crying about wedding planning. All the while, I’m getting myself into Lucille Ball-esque scrapes and making Jim Carey-esque faces. Our big fat Czech/Baptist/Jewish/Italian wedding is a combination of vintage eclectic, DIY, and little spoonful of sugar from our Event Coordinator. It’s going to be a Norfolk flavored wedding with the verve of an only-daughter-blow-out bash!
If our wedding had been two weeks later, I might have been singing the new breakout “Pants on the Ground”. Instead, I sang an old standby. A song I’ve sung in the shower after a break-up. A song that draws women all over the world to the dance floor (I know, it happened in a German disco at least once). A song that certainly is in the Top Ten most karaoked songs of all time.
Our band (more on them later!) noticed I have a little bit of a flair for the dramatic (also, more on that later!) and as momentum built over the course of the night, they pulled me onstage to bring the energy levels to a crescendo. The crowd pulsed with anticipation. The opening bars pounded through the speakers. Oh, I WILL survive!
I took my role seriously. I brought it (just doesn’t have the same emphasis in the past tense), then I gave a little more! I grabbed hold of the mic like the rock star I know I am. I channeled every bit of soul in my body. I lived my American Dream fantasies.
Mrs. Piglet, Virginia/OahuAge and Occupation: 28, ConsultantFiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Entrepreneur/Fashion Apparel Wholesale ImporterEngagement Date: June 22, 2008Wedding Date: August 2009Venue: Ceremony at the Lanikuhonua Phase II private estate, reception at a historic hotel in WaikikiAbout Me: I'm an East Coast gal with intense road rage and an addiction to romantic comedies, fast food, gadgets, Korean BBQ, and my wiener dog George aka Georgia May. I carry mustard packets in my purse and I love perusing the aisles at discount stores. A self proclaimed shopaholic, I impulsively buy electronics, software, and craft tools; none of which I know how to use. I'm excited to dust
these babies off and immerse myself in DIY projects galore in
preparation for our DW in paradise!
I’m gettin’ marrrrrrrrrrried. I’m gettin’ marrrrrrrrrried! *cabbage patch dance* I hopped out of bed at 5:30 in the morning to prep the room for the girls’ arrival at 6 (bless their hearts for being morning troopers). In hopes of beating the heat, Mr Piglet and I scheduled our morning ceremony at 11 am. I booked Dorys Foltin for my pretty ladies, and with 6 of us, we needed a couple hours to get our hair did and faces on.
Dorys and her assistant knocked on the door promptly at 6. The girls came minutes after. After a quick bouncy hug, the girls took their seats and Dorys went to town.
As I watched them work their magic, I was sort of in a daze, still a bundle of nerves. To calm me down, I would occasionally walk onto the balcony to breathe in the fresh ocean air, eat my breakfast burrito from (none other than) Zippy’s, and soak in the beautiful view. Read more…
Mrs. Penguin, Northern CaliforniaAge and Occupation: 27, Weddingbee Editor in ChiefFiance's Age and Occupation: 30, Doctor of Physical TherapyEngagement Date: January 29, 2007Wedding Date: June 7, 2008Blogging Since: September 14, 2007Venue: Winery in the Gold CountryAbout Me: I love the Spice Girls, dogs with underbites, bean burritos, making messes, high fives, avoiding showers, crossword puzzles, blogs, weddings, and blogs about weddings!
Mrs. Guinea Pig, Baltimore, MD Age and Occupation: 26, PhD student Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Operations Director at a non-profit Engagement Date: December 25, 2008 Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: The Chesapeake Bay Beach Club About Me: I'm a tomboy science nerd whose girly side has made a startling appearance thanks to wedding planning! I love to bake, knit and sew but I also ride a motorcycle (that Mr. Guinea Pig wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole). We live with our three crazy cats and love to read, travel, watch movies, and do home improvement projects together! My parents/family are Canadian but I'm definitely American, although I've lived in 5 different countries, 6 different states, and speak Russian fluently. Mr. GP and I met online (did I mention I'm a scientist?) and had a whirlwind romance - now we can't wait to get married & celebrate with all our friends and family in a blue and yellow waterfront affair!
This weekend, my mom came into town and we (Mom Guinea Pig, Mr. Guinea Pig, FMIL Guinea Pig and I) ventured out in a huge snowy storm to our venue’s tasting event! The CBBC appears to be a little unique in that this tasting was for all the brides & grooms (plus 2 guests) getting married there in late spring and summer.
At first I was nervous about this when we booked the venue, because the tasting seemed so far away and was not something we could schedule. However, a major benefit to this arrangement is that they hold the event for about 180 people, and it is just like a wedding, only without a ceremony. So you get to see exactly how things are presented, situated, and handled for a wedding. Plus, you know how the food tastes when they cook for so many people - as opposed to just presenting a perfect meal for 4, we’re now totally confident they can cook well for 180! And there was so much food at the event, we felt like we needed to be rolled out of there after trying everything - too bad we can’t store food in our cheeks!
When we arrived, they had a lemonade/iced tea table for a refreshing drink while we waited (I can imagine it’s much more refreshing in the spring/summer than in the freezing winter!), and staff walked around passing out a signature drink: a Pomegranate infused Sparkling Cider that had a ginger kick to it.
(This was amazingly delicious, but only the girls seemed to like it. All the guys made faces when they took a sip! Good to know.)
Mrs. Buttons, Clearwater, FLAge and Occupation: 24, "Working on it"Fiance's Age and Occupation: 28, Financial ServicesEngagement Date: June 13, 2009Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Carlouel Yacht ClubAbout Me: I'm a self proclaimed perfectionist and a professional nomad (seriously, I've lived in TX, WI, MI, FL, NC, and now VA!). I love wine, cooking, curling up with a good book (nerd alert!), spoiling the furbaby, and of course, the wonderful Mr. Buttons! We are planning a lighthearted and whimsical wedding (with a good deal of DIY projects) in Clearwater, Florida, but from a distance of 800 miles away! We are looking forward to sharing our day with our family and friends, and most importantly, starting our lives together as husband and wife!
In November, I received a card in the mail from CC’s (where I bought my dress) letting me know that my gown had arrived in the shop! I was floored; when I purchased it back in June they informed me that it could take up to early 2010 for the gown to come in. I guess not!!! As you can imagine, the anticipation for my Florida trip for Thanksgiving was incredible. I wanted to meet my gown in person!
So, on the rainy Tuesday before Thanksgiving, mom and I made the drive out to St. Petersburg. If you remember, when I shopped for my dress originally, I didn’t get those mushy-gushy “OH MY GOSH THIS IS MY DRESS” feelings. I was secretly hoping that they would appear that day. I should have known better than to have that expectation, because alas, once again it didn’t happen. Sadly, it kind of threw me into a bit of a bad mood during our visit, which I shouldn’t have let happen. But hey, I’m not perfect.
However, I WAS excited about the fact that MY dress was in!
OK, OK… I know what you really want is to see pictures of me in the dress.
Your wish is my command. Mr. Buttons, if you are reading this, STOP! Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Walk away from your computer, do not scroll down! Please? OK thank you… Read more…
Mrs. Pencils, Washington DC/Frederick, MDAge and Occupation: 24, Program Director, Education Non ProfitFiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Administrative Assistant, Ocean Conservation Non ProfitEngagement Date: July 26, 2008Wedding Date: May 2010Venue: Morningside InnAbout Me: I'm a nerdy Northwestern girl who always knew she was meant to live in the East, harboring a deep love of ice cream, underwear, Diet Coke with a splash of Coca-Cola, pashminas, scrapbooking, stationery, wall calendars and books written for preteens. I think every day should include good thin crust pizza, chocolate, an obscure historical monument, lots of laughter, a dash of wedding planning and, of course, amazing Mr. Pencils! I'm loving the adventure of planning a Maryland wedding and Rocky Mountain reception, and most of all, I just love love!
I’ve explained my reasons for changing my name to Mr. Pencils’ after our marriage. Now, nearly four months out, it’s time to start preparing the paperwork and aligning all the legalities of legally doing so after our wedding!
When I initially began to research this topic a year ago after we were first engaged, I gave up because it seemed so hopelessly confusing. The amount of paperwork and time needed to change my name was daunting—so I shut that web search down and put it on the back burner until I was capable of devoting the research time necessary! Then, my mom brought up the question of whether I would need a new passport for our honeymoon (to Costa Rica—have I mentioned this before? I see a honeymoon post in our future!). The answer, of course, was no, because I won’t have time to complete all the necessary steps before the honeymoon, but I realized this was one of the many documents that will need to change afterward. Read more…
Mrs. Green Tea, SacramentoAge and Occupation: 30, Tea AnalystFiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Coffee CriticEngagement Date: November 17, 2006Wedding Date: August 23, 2008Blogging Since: June 10, 2008Venue: Vineyard on the DeltaAbout Me: I'm just your average obsessive compulsive, arts & crafts loving, funky-on-the-inside/boring-on-the-outside girl, who dares to say 'Hey! I can make that!' Nerdy professional by day, goofy won-ton by night. The won-ton sometimes comes out during the day when I'm fed the dollar breakfast at Ikea. Since our engagement, wedding planning has put me on high alert for bargains and I've been pushing my nimble fingers through callous building experiments!
I left you hanging on the sugary details on the shower I threw for MOH-Ho. My bad. I’m trying to get my shiznit together now and at least finish this mini-series (previous episodes: one, two, three, four, & five). To ease you back into this, I’ll show you a simple DIY decoration project.
Mrs. Deviled Egg, PittsburghAge and Occupation: 27, Public RelationsFiance's Age and Occupation: 28, AccountingEngagement Date: December 24, 2007Wedding Date: May, 2009Blogging Since: October 21, 2008Venue: Historic auditorium and meeting hall in one of Pittsburgh's commuter citiesAbout Me: I am obsessed with all things crafty, especially scrapbooking, knitting, jewelry-making & cake decorating. I also love being an aunt, wrapping presents, watching football (Go Steelers!), shopping at yard sales and consignment stores, procrastinating, singing and learning to play the guitar. When it comes to wedding planning, I'm excited about working on DIY projects and finding creative ways to stay under budget. Of course, nothing is more exciting to me than knowing that the wonderful Mr. Deviled Egg will be my husband.
Back when I first started mapping out the details of our wedding day, I knew our (OK, my) style was leaning towards a more traditional and elegant wedding. Our venue was determined partially for looks, but mostly for convenience and costs. I also picked the car to serve as the inspiration for the colors. But, a signed contract with a venue, a set of complementary hues and a decision on transportation never really gave me the warm fuzzies when it came to picturing how things would turn out. I knew everything would be fine, but I just wasn’t really able to fully comprehend how all of our plans would translate into reality.
And, maybe not until the actual wedding day, I realized that the affordable, elegant wedding I had been planning for months ended up, almost accidentally, being a classic, vintage-inspired affair. A vintage-feel for our day wasn’t in the plans, but it was a very welcomed result.
Silly me for not realizing I would get “vintage” when I included some very vintage elements:
All-Inclusion Invitation Suites
So you get to see exactly how things are presented, situated, and handled for a wedding. Plus, you know how the food tastes when they cook for so many people - as opposed to just presenting a perfect meal for 4, we’re now totally confident they can cook well for 180! And there was so much food at the event, we felt like we needed to be rolled out of there after trying everything - too bad we can’t store food in our cheeks!
